This is an ongoing post I plan to update as thoughts run through my brain.

Update: More schools closed in the area but not in my area. My daughter has started to cough and sneeze more. I know for sure it is her allergies.

The school had a movie in the gym tonight but I did not want my daughter to cough and everyone start staring. I am still not worried and nor should you parents.

My son has had a cold for the past two weeks. My daughter is sneezing and has a runny nose. Two students in central Houston has been diagnosed with Swine Flu which have been closed. One student in another area high school has been diagnosed with the flu and that school has been shut down.

A flyer came home in the Tuesday folder from school advising parents to keep the kids at home. The flyer also advised parents to advise kids to wash hands continually which is weird because I have noticed that the school does not even have the schools wash hands before lunchtime.

I really am not worried about my family. I do wonder about my neighbors who are from and have family in Mexico. I bet they are so worried about the situation down there in the south.

My husband (the big bad other trucker) called from Illinois and told me not to send the kids to school because he heard of a school district shut down in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Texas TAKs tests are this week and I think that the area school officials are reluctant to shut down Houston area schools because they place a high value on the state tests.

What are parents to tell their employers in a time of downsizing and layoffs? I am not working now (involuntarily becauseI need a job dude) but when I was employed I was reluctant to call my boss about missing work even when I was 4 months pregnant and in the ER the night before.

I am still processing all of this as a parent. I do think that the biggest fear lives in our minds and in the television set. Sometimes the news tries to add fuel to our nightmares. We should be an informed public but what is to believed because we don’t know what everyone is getting out a crisis until it is all over.

On Monday my kids head back to school from spring break. We are out of the streudal and no money budget to buy. Now is the time to fix oatmeal and whole grain toast but gosh darnit I love these little fruit-filled concoctions too! Shame on me. I am weak.